Success!

Although leukemia can be life-threatening, it doesn’t always kill the person. Sadly, my grandfather lost his battle but that’s not how it has to be. According to http://www.cancersurvivorsfund.org/OurStudents.htm, many people have fought this cancer and won. Vanessa Kelly is a 12 year leukemia survivor. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was only four years old and underwent chemotherapy for five years. In 2006, she graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Hospitality Management. She stated, “I take life a little more serious than most people and I never forget what I went through.”

Brianne Bosworth is also a leukemia survivor. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was just seven years old. She is now a sophomore at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, majoring in education. Bosworth states, “Because I was only seven years old when I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t consciously spend much time thinking about what life meant – and what it might mean to lose my life.  Cancer was simply a sickness that I needed to get better from so I could go on with school, friends and growing up.” I think that is really incredible. Many people who think of cancer immediately think the worst. But when you have a child who doesn’t know any better, they’re just going to think that they’re sick and that since they’re young, they’ll get automatically get better and nothing bad can happen to them.

Jared Howatineck is a leukemia survivor. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was four years old. He is now attending the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Howatineck recalls his childhood as being filled with painful medical tests, surgeries and long hospital stays. He said, “I went through the entire three-year program of chemotherapy and one week after my final treatment, I re-lapsed. The only option left was a transplant.” He then goes on to describe how he had an experimental stem cell transplant from his oldest brother. That meant more chemotherapy, a course of full body radiation, additional surgeries and several biopsies. One last quote from him was something that I fully agree with, “Life is not always easy. It is not always fair.”

Even though my grandfather wasn’t as lucky as some of these people, it makes me happy to know that good things can come from something so terrible. Every one of these survivors states that having leukemia has taught them more about themselves. Also, some of them have taken their experiences and helped others. Some of these survivors have allowed their experience to shape who they want to be when they grow up.

For all these amazing stories and more, please visit the following site: http://www.cancersurvivorsfund.org/OurStudents.htm.

Success Stories [2000-2007], retrieved on 26, October, 2009, from http://www.cancersurvivorsfund.org/OurStudents.htm.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

My grandfather was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocyctic Leukemia back in 2005. According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of four main types of leukemia.  About 15,490 new cases of CLL will be diagnosed in 2009.  It is estimated that 85,710 people in the United States are living with or are in remission from CLL. CLL starts with a mutation to the DNA of a single cell called a lymphocyte.  Over time, the CLL cells multiply and replace normal lymphocytes in the marrow and lymph nodes. The high number of CLL cells in the marrow may crowd out normal blood-forming cells, and CLL cells are not able to fight infection like normal lymphocytes do.

CLL is more common in people who are 60 years and older than in younger adults; children do not get CLL. The number of people with CLL starts to increase after age 50. Pop pop was diagnosed when he was 71 and lost his battle when he was 74.

There is no real cause for why people get CLL. There is no way to prevent it and there is also no way to catch it from someone. Some signs and symptoms are tiredness, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, infections, and shortness of breath. Out of these, my grandfather displayed tiredness and weight loss.

The testing for CLL includes blood cell counts and a blood cell examination. When my grandfather had blood taken, his white blood cell count had skyrocketed and that’s what made the doctor diagnosis him with CLL.

For treatment, my grandfather went through chemotherapy. As previously discussed, chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. It is important to get treatment in a center where doctors are experienced in the care of patients with CLL. The goal is CLL treatment is to slow the growth of CLL cells, provide long periods of remission, and help people to feel better if they have infections, fatigue or other symptoms.

The first method of CLL treatment is the watch and wait method. It means that a doctor observes a person’s condition with physical exams and lab tests. The doctor does not treat the person with drugs or other therapies during the watch and wait period. After my grandfather’s first blood test, he went through this. Even before he was diagnosed with CLL I remember he told me that he had to get a lot of tests done. The watch and wait approach allows the patient to avoid side effects until treatment is needed. Patients in watch and wait need follow-up visits with the doctor. At each office visit, the doctor will check for any health changes. The doctor will start treatment if: the patient’s CLL cells increase, if the number of normal cells decrease, their lymph nodes become larger, or if their spleen has become larger. The most common treatment for CLL is chemotherapy.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society [2009], retrieved on 25, October, 2009, from http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=7059.

Chemotherapy & Other Ways to Fight Leukemia

When someone hears the word chemotherapy, they usually think of something bad. That’s normal because if someone needs chemotherapy, it’s probably because there’s something seriously wrong. But chemo isn’t as scary as some may think. According to http://www.chemotherapy.com/, chemotherapy is any treatment involving the use of chemical agents to stop cancer cells from growing. More than half of all people diagnosed with cancer receive chemotherapy. For millions of people, chemotherapy helps treat their cancer effectively, enabling them to enjoy full, productive lives.

But what exactly does chemotherapy do? Ideally, chemo is used to kill cancer cells. It can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or taken orally in the form of a pill. My grandfather had to have a needle in his vein. He told me that he would go sit there for hours with this needle in his arm and it made me feel so bad. Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells; however, it can’t tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So chemotherapy eliminates not only the fast-growing cancer cells but also other fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair and blood cells. As a result, many people who go through chemotherapy lose their hair; my grandfather did not lose his hair though.

It is extremely important that someone going through chemo keeps a strict schedule with their doctors. The doctors want to make your chemotherapy as effective, timely, and problem-free as possible. The doctor will develop a treatment plan scientifically designed for the patient, based on their type of cancer, its stage of advancement, and their overall health. It will consist of specific chemotherapy agents, at specific doses and intervals. These are called your scheduled cycles. Generally, treatments are given daily, weekly, or monthly.

There are a number of side effects resulting from chemotherapy. Side effects include: low white blood cell count, low red blood cell count, low platelet count, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and fatigue. I would regularly visit my grandfather and talk to him about how he was feeling after this chemo sessions. He never lost his hair but he did start to lose weight and since he was always such a big guy, any weight loss was noticeable. He once told me that he didn’t want to eat anymore because the chemo made everything taste like cardboard.

Other methods for fighting cancer instead of chemo are:  surgery, radiation therapy, biological therapy, and hormonal therapy. 

For more information about chemotherapy, and other forms of cancer treatment, please visit the following site: http://www.chemotherapy.com/

Chemotherapy [2009] retrieved on 19, October, 2009, from http://www.chemotherapy.com/.

Leukemia in Children

Leukemia not only affects adults, it also affects children and this is where it can be most deadly. According to the University of Texas Cancer Center, Leukemia affects more than 3,500 children every year. “Leukemia affects two types of white blood cells which are responsible for protecting the body from disease: lymphocytes and granulocytes. Leukemias that affect lymphocytes are known as “lymphocytic” or “lymphoblastic,” and those that affect granulocytes are called “myeloid” or “myelogenous” leukemias.”

Leukemia is classified as either acute or chronic. In acute leukemia, white blood cells are released from the bone marrow into the bloodstream before they mature, where they quickly reproduce. In chronic leukemias, the blood cells are a bit more mature and multiply much slower.

There are three types of leukemias found in children: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), and Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML). ALL is the most common leukemia found in children; 75 percent of children with leukemia have ALL. ALL occurs during two very distinct age groups, children under three or young teenagers. AML affects both children and adults but about 20 percent of childhood leukemia is AML. JMML is a rare disease that affects children under the age of four.

There are a few symptoms that can help identify this disease. Some of these symptoms are: fatigue, flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, anemia, and bone or joint pain. In terms of diagnosing childhood leukemia, there are a few tests that are done.

“Childhood leukemia is diagnosed by taking a sample of bone marrow from the hip with a needle. A spinal tap is also performed to determine whether leukemia has affected the central nervous system.”

For treatment of leukemia, the most common type of treatment is chemotherapy, which is using drugs to kill cancer cells. If a child doesn’t respond well to the chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant may need to be done. “Radiation therapy may be used when leukemia has affected the brain and central nervous system or is likely to spread to these areas. Beams of radiation are precisely aimed at the treatment area from outside the body.”

Although leukemia is the number one killing cancer in children, there are those who survive: please read Denzel’s Story.

There are other websites that provide a world of hope and information for anyone who is touched by childhood leukemia. NCLF, and JLS.

Childhood Leukemia [2009], retrieved on 15, October, 2009 from http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-types/childhood-leukemia/index.html?gclid=CNuLodylv50CFQRM5QodFQg8jw.

Leukemia: What is it?

What is Leukemia? According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Leukemia is a blood cancer and it originates in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. The diseases result from an injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of these abnormal cells interferes with the body’s production of healthy blood cells.

Leukemia can happen to anyone, regardless of their age. Every four minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Leukemia will cause the deaths of an estimated 53,240 people in the United States this year. And every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. Leukemia kills more children and young adults under 20 than any other cancer.

There are four types of leukemia: Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), and  Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). These four types all have different characteristics.

My grandfather was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. He had gone in for a usual blood test and the doctor informed him that his white blood cell count had risen higher than normal. The doctor thought he had an infection so he was put on medications. After being on the medication for some time, he had blood taken again and his white blood cell count had risen to 90,000 and the final diagnosis was Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Leukemia doesn’t always have symptoms. For AML and ALL, some symptoms include: tiredness, shortness of breath, aches in bones or joints, and pale skin. But for CML and CLL, there really are no signs or symptoms. Many people learn that they have leukemia after a routine blood test. The sad part is that for most types of leukemia, the risk factors and causes are still unknown.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society [2009],  retrieved on 12, October, 2009, from http://www.leukemia.org/hm_lls.

Light the Night

 

         

 

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society provides information and hope for anyone who has been touched my a blood cancer. An event that they support is called Light the Night . It is a walk that is done to raise money for the Leukemia Society. The money is used to fund researchers as they look for better therapies and cures for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The money is also used for: covering patient expenses for transportation, medication and testing, and educational materials and events for patients and their families. One can walk alone or start up a team to walk.

Before the walk, participants are given illuminated balloons that help them “light the night.” Red balloons are if you are walking for someone who is battling a blood cancer, white balloons are for if you are a survivor, and gold balloons are for walkers who are there to show respect for their loved ones that have lost their battle with cancer.

The walking distance varies depending on where it is but the walk is never too long or difficult and usually takes less than an hour to complete. There are many ways to participate in this walk: walking as an individual, walking in a team, volunteering at the walk, or just simply donating to someone that is walking.

I have been participating in this walk since September 2005. My grandfather was diagnosed with leukemia that year and my sister looked into this walk and my family immediately signed up and Pop’s Team was born. Every year, my sisters and I created shirts for this event that showed our support for our grandfather. They may not have been the greatest shirts, but we got our point across. Sadly, in 2008, my grandfather lost his battle with leukemia and my family still participates in the walk in his honor. Participating in the walk that year was extremely difficult. Seeing the volunteers hand my grandmother a gold balloon was something that I will never forget.

 

For more information about this walk, or to donate to the Leukemia Society, please visit www.lightthenight.org 

Light the Night [2009], retrieved on 8, October, 2009, from www.lightthenight.org